


Then Fight To Keep It

by Itshellfo



Series: Soulmates [3]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, I will add tags as I go, M/M, Red String of Fate, There won't be anything extreme though, soft andreil
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:27:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24508408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Itshellfo/pseuds/Itshellfo
Summary: Neil and Andrew have found each other again after three years, but now they have to face the consequences of the deal Neil struck with Ichirou. Riko will surely do anything in his power to get his property back, and Lola's still out there somewhere ready for vengeance.Will their relationship crack under the pressure, or will they fight to keep what they have built?Sequel to:Learn To Take What's Already Yours
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Series: Soulmates [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/811539
Comments: 35
Kudos: 125





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Well well, look who's back! It's been a year since I finished the first installment(?) of this little series, and I thought... It's about damn time I write the sequel. I've received so many sweet comments under that fic lately and I'm so glad people are still reading it, it makes me want to cry.  
> Anyway this is the first thing I write in months, I'm kinda out of practice, so bear with me while I get used to it again. Truth be told this isn't the best time to upload this because exams are fast approaching and I have to study, but I'll do my best and try to update at least once a week. No promises though...  
> Uhm, if you haven't read the prequel I highly recommend you do, because this follows the same timeline as canon but many things will be different.  
> If you HAVE read it, here's a quick reminder of a few important plot points:  
> -Drake and Neil's father are already dead;  
> -Andrew isn't on his meds because Neil sent some men to protect him;  
> -Neil spent three years in England after his mother's death, so he already knows everything about him belonging to the Moriyamas;  
> -He made a deal with Ichirou so he and Kevin could be free, but it won't be effective until Kengo dies;  
> -He also made a deal with the FBI.
> 
> Lastly, if Neil and Andrew seem more soft is because they met and helped each other in the past.  
> Okay! Hope you enjoy!

“Will you stay?”

Three years ago, Neil Josten was only a shadow of a man, his identity unknown. He was a miserable teenager forced to live a life on the run, changing residence every few months. And with new homes came new landscapes, new faces that would have to stay blank like pages, because he couldn’t afford to put a name to them. It would have meant getting attached, and it would not do for a walking time-bomb to let people in. 

His future was only a pipe-dream; at the time, the mere thought of living just another day was able to bring him relief. It was always enough. Until it wasn’t. 

Until a boy with a fever passed out in front of his temporary house and crashed into his life like a meteor. A boy whose existence was as intangible as his, and who slowly crept into Neil’s heart with his truths and unwavering trust, in a way that terrified the runner. As if Fate had brought them together. 

In the end, as Neil discovered, it really did. It was frightening, the knowledge that his soul was forever bound to someone else’s with a string, that’s why he’d tried so hard to forget it, repress it, hide it away. But he had soon figured out that, if that person was Andrew, he didn’t mind at all. 

That same red string was the reason why he was now at Palmetto State to fight for his future. And for the first time in his life, he didn’t feel like a ghost roaming the Earth. He finally had a name and a purpose. Perhaps a real place to stay too.

“Will you let me?”

Andrew threw the butt of his cigarette over the edge of the roof. “I’ll let Wymack know, you can sleep on the couch.”

This was Andrew’s way to tell him that he would not let Neil out of his sight again. A smile crept up Neil’s face as warmth spread in his chest, a feeling that was now both familiar and sweet. He’d missed it, talking with Andrew like they were the only living beings in the world. 

“Don’t you need to ask the others too?” he inquired. “I don’t think they will be too happy to have a stranger in their dorm.”

Andrew huffed: “Like I care.” 

He made to stand up, but Neil grabbed his sleeve to stop him. As much as he wanted to declare the conversation over, there was one more thing he needed to let out: “Just so you know, I’m not reinstating our old deal.” 

As expected, Andrew’s gaze immediately darkened at that statement, though his facial expression didn’t give his irritation away. Neil didn’t give him the chance to speak. 

“You don’t have to risk your life for me anymore, I’m not some kid that needs constant protection. I want us to have each other’s backs and walk side by side.” 

“Don’t say stupid shit like this, I don’t trust you not to run in front of a bullet.”

“I mean it,” Neil insisted. “I have no idea what kind of storm is coming our way. Riko will do anything in his power to have me and Kevin back and I don’t want to give him a reason to hurt you too.”

Andrew gritted his teeth. “I’m not afraid of him, he can’t do anything to me.” 

Looking at the man in front of him with pleading eyes, Neil tightened his grip on the fabric. “Promise, Drew.”

For a few seconds, the only sound that could be heard was the crackling noise of the cicadas as Andrew carefully observed him, possibly pondering his options. 

“Don’t let it be your downfall, junkie,” he concluded eventually, shrugging his hand off. 

Neil let out a sigh of relief he didn’t know he was holding. He appreciated Andrew’s care, but he was not a runner nor a coward anymore. He’d asked Stuart to train him so he could defend himself properly, and now he could face everything that was thrown at him. His resolution was as strong as steel. It didn’t matter if he’d come out scarred in the end, if he could protect what was dear to him. 

He jumped up to follow Andrew inside, a little smile tugging at the corner of his lips. 

“Can we order something to eat? I’m starving.” Neil asked, to which Andrew responded with a hum: “If Kevin starts ranting about healthy diets I’ll blame you.”

Neil snorted: “Don’t act like you care about what Kevin says.”

“What happened to the junkie who used to idolize the man and stare at his face on magazines?” 

“When have you gone so soft as to protect everyone you meet?”

Andrew chose to ignore that last question but Neil saw him falter. Did it have anything to do with a certain promise? Back then, when he’d asked Andrew to live his life and look for his brother, he never would have imagined that it’d end like this. First, he’d taken Aaron under his wing, then Nicky. When Kevin appeared, he’d probably thought it inevitable. Andrew cared way too much for others, in his own way, but never for himself. Neil stopped in his tracks and stared at Andrew as if he’d suddenly remembered something: “What was that about you being a monster, by the way?”

Andrew seemed to freeze for a moment before he quickly recomposed himself and schooled his expression. “Am I not? I killed my own mother after all.” 

That didn’t come as a surprise to Neil. He didn’t know the logistics, his sources had said that it had been an accident, but deep down he’d always felt like there was something wrong. He tried to ignore the fact that in the midst of murdering Tilda, Andrew could have died as well. Instead, he said: “You must have had your reasons.”

Andrew ascended the stairs again and stepped into Neil’s personal space, their faces so close that Neil could feel his breath. He was analyzing him, searching for traces of doubt, but surely he must have known that he would not find any. 

“Maybe one day I’ll tell you,” Andrew concluded, then tapped his temple with his fingers and turned to walk away. 

Neil hurried after him, and replied: “If they call you that again, I’ll have to fight them.”

Andrew huffed. “Don’t waste your time with meaningless tasks. They can say whatever the hell they want about me. I know myself, what they think isn’t my problem and shouldn’t be yours either.”

Shaking his head in resignation, Neil took the hint and accepted to let it go for the time being, even if he didn’t like it. If Andrew hadn’t stopped him when he did, he probably would have broken that guy’s nose. 

They stopped in front of Andrew’s family’s room. From the inside came muffled sounds of someone arguing, or maybe just chatting lively… Neil couldn’t tell the difference. But as soon as the door opened, the place fell into complete silence. Nicky and Aaron were standing in front of the couch, where a miserable Kevin was drinking his worries away. It didn’t seem anything out of the ordinary considering Andrew didn’t even spare them a glance, instead choosing to head to the kitchen while leaving a very awkward Neil at the entrance. 

Nicky cleared his throat, coming to stand in front of their guest. On his face was a genuine and wide smile, which took the boy by surprise. This was the young man that had taken care of the twins since their mother’s death, but most importantly the one who’d given a real home to Andrew when Neil couldn’t. He didn’t know how to express his gratitude without sounding weird, plus he had no idea if Andrew was okay with sharing that they had a past together. So he kept quiet and attempted to return the smile as best he could. 

“Waiting for Wymack?” Nicky asked. “I hope Andrew didn’t traumatize you too much.”

“It’s fine. He’s fine.” Neil shrugged, earning a puzzled stare from the other, and watched as Andrew came back holding a small pamphlet, which he gave Neil. 

“Choose,” he said nonchalantly, pointing at the piece of paper. Written on it was a list of pizza flavors and the name of a pizzeria close by. Andrew then turned to Nicky. “He’s sleeping here for the time being.” 

“Why?” came Aaron’s question as he finally gave up on Kevin and approached the group, on his face a clear expression of disdain.

Neil uncomfortably moved his weight from one foot to the other, feeling a little out of place under the judging eye of the other twin. “It’s okay, if you don’t want me here I can stay at a hotel.”

“Neil,” Andrew warned, sending him a glare that the boy returned by shrugging. Aaron didn’t seem to get the hint, however, because he asked: “Why can’t he stay at Wymack’s or Abby’s?”

“There, there,” Nicky probably felt the building tension and decided to jump in before it got messy. “He can sleep on the couch, we just have to move Kevin to his bed.” 

Neil was sure that even without his interference Andrew would have taken the currently drunk man and dropped him in his room without thinking twice. He was confused, however, as to why Aaron seemed so against him staying. Fortunately, Nicky was also quick to change the subject: “Is that really all you have, Neil? Do you like traveling light?”

It took Neil a moment to understand that he was talking about the duffel bag still hanging on his shoulder. “This is all I own,” he said, as if it was that simple. Truth be told, even during his time in England, he hadn’t let himself get attached to the place, nor collect objects that he wouldn’t need in the future. His bag still held the same items as three years prior: the money his mother stole safely hidden in the old binder, a few clothes now the right size and a knife he’d bought immediately after landing in America. 

Unconsciously, his grip on the strap tightened. He trusted Andrew but couldn’t say the same about the others. He couldn’t just keep it with him at all times.

“Where can I put this?” the question was directed at Andrew but Nicky made to grab the bag, unknowingly, and Neil flinched so hard his back hit the door behind him. 

“Sorry,” he said immediately, noticing the guilt in the young man’s gaze. He must have been used to these kinds of reactions, seeing as he promptly withdrew his hand and took a step back to give Neil space. From the corner of his eye, he saw Aaron’s distrusting stare; he looked so similar to his brother, and yet so different. Neil didn’t know how he should act around him. 

He felt a tug on his shoulder and, looking down, he saw that Andrew had placed a hand on the duffel bag, awaiting permission. Neil didn’t hesitate to give it to him, then followed him to the bedroom. Andrew slid the bag under what must have been his bed, a silent implication that he was now responsible of protecting Neil’s belongings. Then he turned to Neil and took the pamphlet that, he realized, was still holding. 

“I’ll order the usual,” Andrew announced. “Take a shower and change, you stink.” 

“Thanks,” Neil huffed, though there were traces of amusement in his voice. “What should I do with your brother? I don’t think he likes me.” 

“Ignore him.” Andrew deadpanned. “If he has a problem, I’ll deal with it.”

“So considerate. You really have gone soft.” 

“Shut the fuck up.”

Neil laughed, possibly for the first time in three years, as Andrew stormed out of the room. He couldn’t help but look with wonder at the red string going through the door and disappearing behind it, its warmth on his skin a sweet reminder that his soulmate was in close proximity. He still hadn’t gotten used to it being present, even after years spent staring at it with longing, knowing exactly who it connected him to but never being able to cross the distance. Now Neil was finally keeping his promise, and he knew that Andrew wanted him as much as Neil wanted Andrew. So the only thing left was to fight for it, whatever “it” turned out to be. 

He’d start the next day, by getting into the lineup. 


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I... have no excuses for this chapter. I wanted it to be longer and eventful but this is all I was able to write. I'm so sorry. The next chapter will be good, I promise.   
> Also, I'm changing the updates from once a week to once every two weeks.

When Neil finished showering, he joined the others on the floor in front of the tv where a steaming pizza was waiting for him. He sat next to Andrew, their knees close enough to almost touch but without giving anything away. 

“So Neil,” said Nicky immediately. Neil was glad that at least one person in the room was chatty enough to not let the atmosphere become awkward, even if he was strangely on guard with the young man: “Are you ready for tryouts? I’m sure you’ll pass but Kevin likes to be a pain in the ass when it comes to Exy. He’s pretty unforgiving.”

Neil glanced at the player currently passed out on the couch, so different from the kid he once knew and admired. Kevin looked pathetic now, with cheeks red from drinking too much and a broken hand together with his pride. Neill replied: “If Kevin says I need to improve, it must be true. But the Foxes desperately need a striker so I don’t think he’ll be that harsh.” 

Beside him, Andrew snorted, “For now.”

“If you can score on Andrew he will probably let you off easy,” Aaron commented, though his tone of voice betrayed an obvious disinterest towards the conversation. 

“I won’t be playing,” Andrew replied, which surprised Neil. He turned to look at him.

“Why not?” He’d been looking forward to playing with Andrew again. Hell, he’d practiced so much just so could score at least once against him. But maybe the man still had no interest in the sport and had just decided to join a team for his family’s sake. 

Andrew shrugged: “Don’t want to kill your dreams.”

“I love a challenge.”

“Do you, now?”

Neil sent him a pointed look: “Are you scared I will actually score?”

Andrew narrowed his eyes at him, “I don’t care.”

“Figured as much. So what’s the real deal?”

A cough brought them back to reality. Too busy relishing in his old banter with Andrew, Neil had completely forgotten that they weren’t alone anymore. It would take some getting used to, knowing that now Andrew had a family and it was not just the two of them. Aaron was scrutinizing him, as if he was a problem that needed solving or a monster with eight heads, while Nicky seemed oddly anxious for some reason, as he tried once again to relieve the tension: “Well anyway, the one you should be worried about is Seth.”

Seth? Neil tried to remember who that was. On the flight to America, he’d studied the Foxes lineup just to figure out what kind of people he would have to deal with. He vaguely recalled Seth Gordon, the only remaining fifth-year student on the team and a striker. 

“Is he the guy I punched?” Neil asked, feeling a slight sense of satisfaction that didn’t go unnoticed, but wasn’t shared by Nicky.

Grimacing, he said: “He will retaliate for that. But he deserved it.” He mimicked the punch and pretended to faint. “It was cool, and hot.”

“I don’t know where you’re going with this conversation but stop before you say something nasty.” A pure expression of disgust painted Aaron’s features.

Nicky gasped, “I wasn’t going to say anything! I was just stating the obvious!”

“What?” Neil frowned.

“What do you mean ‘what’? Have you seen yourself?”

No, he wanted to say. He never looked at his reflection because it reminded him of his father.

Next to him, Neil felt Andrew stiffen. He was glaring at his cousin, clearly threatening him to stop talking, but the man continued unaware: “Do you have a girlfriend? Or maybe you swing my way.”

Neil didn’t know if he’d heard right. He wasn’t expecting someone to flirt with him so soon, or ever for that matter. If it had happened years prior maybe he wouldn't even have noticed the attempt. “I don’t swing,” he said, baffled, while Andrew cleared his throat as a warning. 

“Come on,” Nicky insisted. “Not even a little?”

“Nicky,” Andrew finally lost his patience. “He says he doesn’t swing, so he doesn’t. Leave it.”

Neil let out a sigh of relief. He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath, or that his ears had started ringing. Before Andrew, there had been a few people that had tried getting close to him but he’d never let them. Especially not after his mother had caught him kissing a girl and beat him into a pulp. Truth be told, he’d never felt anything towards anyone, nor the curiosity every adolescent got with puberty, and he wasn’t sure why. Andrew had been the only exception, be it because they were soulmates or simply because he’d come to trust him that much. 

Nicky appeared slightly dejected but agreed to let it go, if anything because his cousin looked like he would actually murder him. Suddenly, Aaron stood up and disappeared in his room without a word, taking his pizza with him. Nicky looked at him go, then chuckled nervously and said: “I’d better bring Kevin to his room and make sure he doesn’t puke.” then did exactly that, leaving Andrew and Neil alone. What had just happened?

It looked like Andrew’s family wasn’t going to be easy to deal with, which shouldn’t have come as a surprise; the Foxes were a bunch of problematic kids, each of whom had unique stories to tell, and it wasn’t simple to approach them. It was renowned that the group couldn’t go a day without arguing or throwing fists at each other. The Minyards weren’t an exception, though maybe Nicky seemed the most innocuous. 

“Is Seth really going to be a problem?” Neil asked. 

“You punched him, now deal with the consequences.”

Neil scratched his neck. He hadn’t thought this through, had he? He had a habit of starting fights, but he didn’t want the players to hold grudges against him so soon. 

“You picked the worst one,” Andrew elaborated eventually. “He’s hot-headed and unreasonable, he will remember it.” 

Neil hummed unhappily, but his next words held no trace of regret: “I would do it again.”

“Suit yourself.” The man picked up the trash and stood from his spot. “Rest now, big day tomorrow.” He tapped his fingers on his temple to salute Neil, then left. 

The next morning Neil woke up early. The apartment was still covered in silence, the only light in the room being the rays of the sun filtering through the curtains. If he went out now, he would still be able to see the sunrise. Neil quickly put on his shoes and quietly slipped out of the dorms for his morning run, which had become a habit in the past few years. He had no idea where he was or where he was going but the fresh breeze that hit him as soon as he stepped outside immediately calmed his mind. 

He was not nervous about tryouts, not entirely, after all he’d trained hard; he couldn’t help, however, but feel some sort of trepidation for finally being able to play on a proper court. It was really unfortunate that Andrew wouldn’t be with him, but there was plenty of time for that. 

He ran for a few miles, then turned around when he started to feel his legs burning and followed the same path back to Fox Tower. Once there, though, he realized that he didn’t have the key to the room and that it was still too early, so nobody would be awake. Calling Andrew was also out of the question because he’d left his phone in the duffel bag under the bed. In the end, there was only one thing he could do: picking the locks and hope that no one would catch him. 

He’d just inserted the lockpick he always kept in his pockets when suddenly the door opened to reveal a very disheveled and very annoyed Andrew.

Neil smirked and made to enter but the man blocked his path, an eyebrow raised: “Where have you been?” His expression didn’t give his emotions away and his voice didn’t even waver, but somehow Neil knew that Andrew was upset. After all, he’d gone out without leaving a note; he’d probably thought he was running away again, though he wouldn’t have left his belongings under Andrew’s bed. Moreover, if Andrew wanted to find him he could have easily followed the string, and then he would have realized that Neil hadn’t gone far. 

That said, he understood Andrew’s concern. “Just jogging,” he reassured, and predictably Andrew visibly relaxed. 

“Coffee?” 

“Shower first.” 

Andrew nodded and went to prepare breakfast while Neil sneaked into the bedroom to get new clothes. 

Twenty minutes later he found him sat at the table, eating pancakes. Neil poured himself some coffee and joined him. 

“I missed running on the street,” he admitted when it became clear that Andrew was expecting him to explain, and that he was still unhappy. “I used to run around Stuart’s property in the morning, so it became a habit after a while. His mansion was crazy big but I felt trapped inside, so running and training were an excuse to escape for a few hours.”

“Did they give you restrictions?” Andrew asked.

“I wasn’t allowed to go out of the property.” Neil shrugged. “But other than that, I was free to do whatever I wanted as long as I didn’t get in the way of their business. Sometimes they even let me join meetings or gave me translation jobs.” 

“I thought mafia gangs were supposed to kill people and keep corpses in their basements or something,” said Andrew, and Neil chuckled.

“My father did. Nathan was cruel and so were his lackeys. But the Hatfords seemed okay; I mean, they still murder people but choose their victims carefully, and are more organized.” 

“Like your mother,” Andrew recalled. Both knew what he was thinking about, though they didn’t voice it out. “Your family is fucked up.” 

“You’re only realizing it now?”

“The extent of it? Yes.” 

“Scared?” Neil smirked but Andrew just glared at him. 

“If I was scared I would have left you with your mother that night at the motel.” 

Nodding, Neil took a sip of his coffee and thought about that day. He recalled the disappointment and regret he’d felt when he’d had to leave a sleeping Andrew on the couch with the knowledge that he would never see him again. He also remembered the strange relief and happiness that had filled his heart when the boy had knocked at their door. He’d never met someone so weird and resilient like Andrew but, one thing was sure, the man was not scared of danger. 

The door of the bedroom creaked open to reveal a yawning Nicky. He immediately froze once he saw the two comfortably sat at the table and eyed them suspiciously. Neil wondered why everyone thought it so strange that he could converse with or be near Andrew so easily. 

“Morning!” All traces of doubt disappeared from Nicky’s face as a wide smile replaced them. “You made pancakes?”

Neil looked at the plate at the center of the table; he didn’t like sweet things but remembered all too well the other man’s tastes. He said: “Andrew did.” 

Nicky gasped, “What the hell? You never cook for us, you usually let  _ me  _ do it.”

That was new. They used to take turns on who had to make lunch or dinner when they didn’t order takeout, back then. Neil smiled secretly. 

Andrew stabbed another pancake with his fork and drowned it with syrup, ignoring his cousin who in turn pouted and grabbed Neil’s arm. “What did you do to convince him?” He whined. 

“Nothing?” Neil answered, blinking in confusion. 

“I don’t believe you!” 

“What are you yelling about so early in the morning?” Aaron appeared out of nowhere and plopped on one of the chairs, Kevin following behind. He looked sober now, and on his face was a frown, but as soon as he saw Neil he paled visibly. As if he’d just remembered that what happened the day before hadn’t been a dream. 

“Andrew made breakfast for Neil.” Nicky was still complaining while also tugging at his arm. Neil freed himself from the grip, making the man almost fall from his chair. 

Much like his cousin, Aaron sent him a weird look. Neil really couldn’t understand what was so strange about the situation, had he really grown eight heads? He decided not to ask. Plus Andrew still hadn’t said a thing. 

“Don’t eat too much or you’ll vomit on the court and coach will make you clean it,” give it to Kevin to change the subject and direct it to more important matters. When had he become so stiff? “Wymack told me to make you practice some drills, no need to play an actual game. We’d just trample you.”

Neil didn’t know if he should feel grateful that they believed he could enter the team without showing his skills in a game, or offended because Kevin thought that he wasn’t even at their level yet. Nicky had mentioned that he was an ass when it came to exy, but he hadn’t expected that it would sting this much. 

“Finish quickly. Coach is waiting for us.” 

It was going to be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil proves his worth during tryouts and officially enters the lineup.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I'm back and I'm very late. I really tried following my update schedule but it just doesn't work for me, you'll have to bear with my sporadic writing. I'm sorry!  
> That said, I hope you enjoy the chapter :)   
> I don't know why writing in Andrew's pov is easier for me, the words just flow and I enjoy it a lot.

Andrew couldn’t take his eyes off Neil. When he’d woken up to a door clicking shut in the living room, he’d immediately checked underneath his bed to make sure that the duffel bag was still there. He knew that Neil would be back because he would never leave his belongings behind, but doubt had still seeped into his thoughts and he’d kept pacing in front of the entrance until he’d heard someone walk and stop before their door.

Trusting Neil again was going to be harder than he’d thought. When they’d separated, that day at the shore, something had broken inside Andrew: he’d let all his walls come down only to be told that he wasn’t needed anymore. Truthfully, having Neil back safe and sound wasn’t enough to make everything right again; Andrew would need solid proof that he wouldn’t be left behind a third time. 

It was easy to pretend that he didn’t care, that he was a grown man who had gone through fire and ice to get to where he was, who had even killed his own mother. And yet, acting tough didn’t help his insecurities go away, especially when it came to Neil. 

All in all, however, breakfast did help him calm down a little. Neil had explained his new habit, which shouldn’t have come as a surprise at all, and Andrew had pushed the negative thoughts to the back of his mind until further notice. The mindless chatter that came with his family waking up only served as another distraction. Instead, he chose to focus on the reactions of his twin and cousin to the enigma that was Neil; he wasn’t sure if he wanted them to know their past yet, or their connection. After all, he would be breaking his and Aaron’s agreement by admitting that something was going on between them, and yet he couldn’t help but still be protective of his brother. 

“Are we ready to go? Coach is waiting,” Kevin announced at some point after everyone had finished eating. They left the dorms ten minutes later, riding the car in the same arrangement as the day before with Nicky going off about how excited he was to see Neil play. Andrew had already mentioned that he wasn’t going to be the goalkeeper that day, and it wasn’t because he was afraid that Neil would score on him, but that all the memories of their practices together would come flooding back and leave him breathless. 

He knew it wouldn’t make any difference the moment they stepped into the stadium with Neil in tow: his sparkling eyes full of wonder and longing immediately made Andrew’s chest constrict, but he tried to ignore it and made his way to the bleachers to avoid looking his way. Neil was too distracted by the orange court anyway, listening to Nicky talking about the history of the building and telling him about every player. Kevin just watched him from afar, his arms crossed and his expression for once unreadable. It had probably been a traumatizing experience to meet someone he’d thought dead for the longest time. 

Soon, the upperclassmen also came barging in as loud as ever. Some of them stopped in front of Neil to strike up a conversation and Andrew figured that making friends would only benefit him, but he made sure to watch Seth’s movements in case he was planning to retaliate for the punch. Their eyes met for a second and the older grimaced, knowing exactly what was going on inside Andrew’s head. 

“Hey, losers,” their coach greeted them. “What are you still doing here? Get Josten something to wear and show him the locker rooms.”

Neil quickly glanced at him but agreed to go with Matt and, as they both disappeared inside, Kevin started walking his way with Aaron and Nicky. 

“What do you think?” the striker asked him, not even attempting to lower his voice. Everyone on the team knew how Andrew always wanted to test people on the team to make sure he could trust them. What they weren’t aware of was that he didn’t need to do that with Neil. So he shrugged. 

“I found it weird that you let him sleep at our dorm so soon,” Aaron prompted him. “Are you trying to crack him or is he already part of the group?” 

“Does that mean we don’t have to bring him to Columbia?” Nicky asked then, somewhat relieved. “I hate doing that.” 

Andrew’s eyes never left the court in front of him. He couldn’t picture himself drugging Neil to get answers out of him and he was glad that he didn’t need to. In another scenario where they hadn't known each other, maybe he would have been merciless. “As I said, we’re still going, it’s just his choice whether he wants to come or not.”

Aaron narrowed his eyes. “What are you trying to achieve here, exactly?”

“Must there be something?”

Kevin had observed him quietly the whole time, but right then he asked: “Do you trust him?”

And it was a very difficult question to answer. Because if it had been anyone else, he would have been on high alert and would have made sure that Kevin was a hundred percent safe in their presence. And yet, could he truly trust Neil completely? Perhaps when it came to Exy and the striker he could, but at present, he had no idea what Neil had done in three years or if he’d been entirely honest with Andrew. Only time could tell. 

Still, as the former runaway came out of the locker rooms wearing the orange Exy gear, he couldn’t help but say: “I do.”

And if it earned him a few bewildered stares, he couldn’t care less. 

The tryouts started with drills. Neil and Kevin were alone on court, the former executing whatever the latter was telling him to do and doing so almost perfectly. Andrew noticed that Neil knew the Raven drills as well and wondered how he learned them. Pretty soon it became clear that their new striker could hold his own and the other Foxes started requesting a scrimmage to test his abilities in a game. Wymack hadn’t expected the kid to be that good, and he promptly agreed to it. Thus, ten minutes later, they were all on court except for Andrew. He could see the slight hint of disappointment in Neil’s eyes, and had to plant his feet on the ground not to give in to the temptation of running to goal. 

Right from the start, Neil didn’t hold back. He easily overpowered all of the other players - much to Kevin’s dismay - making it clear how mediocre all of them were compared to a self-taught junkie. It was evident to anyone with eyes that Neil was in his element at that moment and was having the time of his life. 

Andrew could see it in his posture and the focused gaze barely visible from under the helmet. It lit a fire inside him and it reminded him of all the times he’d seen that same expression when they practiced together. He wanted to see it up close again. He wanted those eyes on himself. 

Quietly, he stood up and slipped into the locker rooms to put his gear on. Without Neil, Exy had always felt meaningless, almost boring, like a chore, but perhaps now he would be able to get some enjoyment out of it. Not that he would ever admit it out loud, of course. When he eventually stepped onto court with both Wymack and Kevin watching him in shock, suddenly everyone stopped in their tracks. Only Renee gave him a soft smile as she passed by him to let him take his spot on goal. A few seconds later, a familiar laugh echoed in the stadium bouncing off of the plexiglass walls: Neil’s eyes sparkled with amusement and excitement, and Andrew wanted nothing more than to wipe them away. 

“Choose a number,” he prompted. 

“Give me three.” 

Andrew raised an eyebrow: “Aren’t you being overconfident?”

“If I manage to score on you at least once, what will you give me?”

“Same deal,” he answered, recalling their old agreement which was to cook breakfast for a whole week. However, it wasn’t enough for Neil anymore: “Too cheap, choose something else.”

Andrew thought for a moment. Everyone else was holding their breaths in anticipation, some of them possibly afraid of what he would do to their recruit. He couldn’t stop his own smirk. “I’ll back off and let you sort your problems. But if you fail, you let me handle Riko.” 

That said, he lowered his helmet and took his stance without giving him a chance to answer. Neil seemed to hesitate a bit, yet he promptly shut whatever he was thinking off, and just like that the tension was broken. Everyone moved away to give him space, as he picked up a ball and, with newfound confidence, threw it at the goal with much more force than Andrew had anticipated. It wasn’t enough to throw him off, however: Neil wasn’t the only one who had gotten better at the game after all. He moved to the left and smacked the ball away with a calculated swing of his racquet.

Another one was immediately thrown at the opposite side and he averted it with little to no effort as well. When he looked up, though, Neil was grinning, and when the ball came at him he understood how much he had underestimated him: it flew over his head and lit the goal red.

Andrew frowned, then immediately schooled his expression. Meanwhile, the others were gaping at Neil, especially Nicky who looked like he was moments away from exploding with excitement, and even Kevin had entered the court and was running towards them. 

“What the hell?!” Allison screeched, dumbfounded. “Was that a fluke or what?”

Chuckling, Neil took off his helmet and tapped two fingers on his temple, never looking away from him. He was going to drive Andrew insane. “Better luck next time.” 

“You’re a junkie, even worse than Kevin,” he said. 

“Even Seth can’t score on Andrew,” Dan commented earnestly, earning a glare from said striker, and Kevin added: “I wonder what that says about this team.” 

Which, obviously, Seth couldn’t ignore: “Hey, asshole! Are you trying to start a fight?”

“Not if you want to end up with a black eye,” Andrew countered. “Or was the punch from yesterday not enough?”

The older man growled. “You’d better keep the new Monster in check.” 

“Or what?” Wymack had finally approached them, just in time to end whatever argument was about to start. “Go get changed, I’ll meet you in the lounge to discuss Josten’s performance.” 

Andrew didn’t wait for him to finish speaking before taking off. He felt a presence next to him and didn’t have to turn to know who it was. 

“There are stalls in the showers,” he offered Neil, since he knew how much he hated showing his scars, but the other only smiled. 

“I saw,” he answered, turning his whole body towards Andrew. “I thought you didn’t want to play today?”

“I didn’t.” 

“What happened?” there it was again, that knowing smirk. “Was it because of me?”

Andrew didn’t reply. Didn’t  _ want _ to reply, nor admit that he’d missed the adrenaline that came with playing with Neil. In fact, he didn’t have to voice it for the other to know, call it soulmate intuition or some other bullshit. Probably more like familiarity with Andrew’s line of thoughts. 

“I trained hard to score on you, you know?” Neil continued as they entered the locker room. “Even if I can’t do it again, I’m satisfied. You’ve gotten better.”

Andrew threw a towel at him. “Shut up and go shower.”

And as Neil disappeared in the bathrooms, Andrew thought he’d never hated anyone that much.

Fifty minutes later they were all in the lounge, just like the day before, waiting for Wymack. Neil was sitting on the armrest of the couch next to Andrew, hair dripping wet, while everyone was subtly observing him. 

When the coach finally entered the room, he called: “Okay, kids. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you to not traumatize Neil now that he’s part of the team. Do you have anything to say on the matter? Kevin?”

“He’s not bad,” the striker commented, which was the best compliment a newbie could get considering who he was. “He knows some of the Raven drills as well and it surprised me.”

“I watched a few tapes of the Raven’s training,” Neil explained nonchalantly, as if any of that stuff was easy to come by. And given Kevin’s wide eyes, it sure wasn’t. “How did you even get those?”

Neil only raised an eyebrow, like saying “How do you think?”. After all, he had a crime lord on his side. 

“Why did you come here? With your skills, you could have signed with the Trojans.” Kevin asked. 

“Because I want Riko to get what he deserves and help you out in the process,” Neil reminded him. “But don’t flatter yourself, I didn’t choose the Foxes for you.” 

Although Andrew’s face didn’t give any of his feelings away, his hands closed into fists on his lap. Those words were a reminder that Neil had kept his promise to come back to him, even if it had taken three years. 

“I still want to know how you scored on Andrew, though,” Allison spoke up, looking like she didn’t want to believe that it hadn’t been a fluke. Out of all of them, maybe only second to Seth, she was the one who watched Neil with the most distrust. “Actually, let’s talk about Andrew who never wants to train and suddenly decided you were worth the trouble.”

“I want to know that, too,” Wymack chipped in. “Can you drag Minyard on court every day?”

“Now, now Coach,” Andrew huffed. “You can’t put a leash on me, I’m not his dog.” 

“Andrew will do whatever he wants to do,” Neil added, frowning. If only he knew that Andrew was indeed very weak when it came to him. He wished he had control over himself. 

Wymack sighed. “No surprise there.” 

“By the way, coach. Could you not announce my involvement until the season starts?” Neil requested all of a sudden. “I don’t want Riko to know so soon. He would start gathering information about me and figure out who I am, therefore try to sabotage us to get me to join the Ravens.” 

Everyone grimaced at those words. They’d known that the new season was going to be hard from the moment Kevin had entered the lineup, but having another one of the Raven’s property was going to throw them in hell. Naturally, Wymack would do anything in his power to delay the inevitable and protect his players as much as he could. “Don’t worry about that. That said, you know you don’t have to stay at the dorms for now. If you don’t want to sleep on the couch, I can ask Abby to take you in until summer.” 

Panic rose inside Andrew’s chest, despite himself, and he said “No” at the same time that Neil answered: “I’m fine where I am.” 

He was painfully aware of all the eyes on him, including Neil’s. There was a silent question in them, something he couldn’t voice out loud. Simultaneously, something seemed to dawn on Dan: “Wait, why? Where are you sleeping?”

“He slept on our couch,” Nicky said with a hint of amusement. 

Unfortunately, none of the upperclassmen thought it was funny, and it was Matt who voiced it out: “Are you nuts?!” Then turned to Andrew. “What do you want to do to him?”

He really should have expected that question given his reputation in the team, but it still annoyed him that they thought he would even try to hurt Neil in any way. His family and Kevin were also being awfully quiet, which didn’t help his case. 

“What would he do to me?” The genuine confusion in Neil’s voice was almost flattering. 

“They think I would break you and give you lifelong trauma.” 

“You wouldn’t.”

“Yes, he would!” Dan exclaimed, with a scowl. “We all know that here. Why do you think we call him and his group ‘Monsters’?”

Neil cocked his head and looked at Andrew for an explanation, but it wasn’t something he wanted to say with all of the others there. As if any of them would believe his reasons anyway. Thankfully Renee, ever the sweetheart, saved him from the trouble by clearing her throat. And it would have helped if her next words didn’t open another Pandora’s Box: “I’ve been meaning to ask since yesterday, but do you two perhaps know each other?”

Suddenly the realization hit everyone in the room, especially Aaron who turned to look at his brother expectantly. Neil glanced at Andrew, asking for permission; it would have been easier to lie, to say that they’d immediately clicked because they were similar, but what was the point? The Foxes would have found out eventually. 

“We do.” 

“What?!” half of the Foxes exclaimed in unison, Nicky being the loudest and Kevin the most taken aback. Aaron’s expression had shifted, however, from curious to surprised, if not a little betrayed. “When did that happen?”

“After I escaped from juvie and before I came barging on your door.” 

His brother’s eyes widened as he looked between the both of them, and Andrew wished he could have prepared Neil for the coming explosion. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone who's still here after so many months, and those who have been reading this little series just recently. I never expected that it would gain this much following and maybe to some 750 kudos may not be that many, but as someone that very rarely writes fics and considers everything as valuable experience... it warms my heart to know that someone enjoys my work. It spurs me to keep giving you more, so don't be afraid to voice your thoughts! I don't bite. 
> 
> Let's be friends! Follow me on twitter: @itshellfo


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Neil and Andrew reveal how they met, Neil spends some time with the upperclassmen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year everyone! 2020 is finally over.   
> I wanted to update last week but life and Christmas got in the way, so here I am.  
> I ask you again to be patient with me... I have 8 WIPs I'm working on at the same time, so I won't always be able to update when you want me to. Please understand ^^  
> That said, hope you enjoy this lil chapter!

“Are you kidding me?” Aaron blurted. 

It was almost spooky how alike he and Andrew looked when they got angry, but his eyes lacked the murderous intent that was usually visible in his brother’s. Neil didn’t even flinch at the tone, although the words were partly directed at him too. 

Next to him, Andrew merely shrugged, which didn’t help Aaron’s sudden tantrum: “You mean to tell me that while the cops kept coming to our house to ask us where you were, you were hanging out with… him?!”

“What about it?”

“What about-” Aaron threw his hands up in exasperation. “They never left us alone, Andrew. At some point, they even camped outside thinking you would come, and when you did eventually knock at our door they suddenly disappeared.” 

Andrew turned to Neil with a questioning look.

“I may have had something to do with that,” he admitted nonchalantly. He had abused Stuart’s power with worse matters, such as protecting Andrew’s family. Sending a corrupted bunch of cops away was nothing in comparison, and he’d asked for it immediately after landing in England, knowing that Andrew would never be free otherwise. From the look the other gave him, he knew he wasn’t surprised, but Aaron and Nicky were definitely startled. 

“How did you even meet?” The former was becoming suspicious now. “Was it in juvie?”

That was a tricky question. He didn’t want to reveal what they were to each other or how Andrew found him just yet. So he simply answered: “We kind of got tangled up together. He passed out in front of my house.” 

“Awful miscalculation on my part, I should have kept walking till the end of the road at least.”

Neil rolled his eyes. “You ran after me when I tried to leave you behind, remember? Could have gone your own way.” 

“That seems like a habit of yours.” 

“That’s not fair, Drew.” 

“Whatever.” 

Neil had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep himself from arguing further. It was a personal conversation that didn’t need to be heard by the others, who were already looking at them weirdly enough. The upperclassmen, in particular, looked torn between engaging with Neil now that he had revealed his connection with Andrew. Seth however was nonplussed; if anything it would give him another reason to annoy Neil more. On the other hand, the so-called ‘Monsters’ were visibly shocked, Aaron being the only one about to pop a vein. Neil had the impression that he hadn’t ended up in his good graces either, but he didn’t care. As long as it didn’t ruin the relationship between the twins.

“I can’t believe this.” 

A cough from the other side of the room stopped whatever Aaron was going to say next. Wymack’s eyebrows were scrunched together as if a million thoughts were running around his head, and Neil had no doubts that he would want answers eventually. However, as they both knew, this was neither time nor place for that. “Talk it out in private, okay?” he said. “And make sure it doesn’t hinder the team’s dynamic.” 

Allison snorted. “I don’t think that’s a problem, we’re already a mess on that front.” 

“Well try not to make it any worse.” 

Neil had heard that their teamwork was one of the worst in the league, and they made it up on the court with their anger and sheer spite, plus maybe a little bit of natural talent. Still, he’d been surprised to find how many cracks there were, and if they wanted to beat Riko and the Ravens things would have to change. 

“Neil,” Wymack continued. “If they bother you too much don’t hesitate to call me. I don’t want you to flee Palmetto just because you can’t handle your teammates and their drama.”

“That’s rude, coach.” Matthew gasped, placing a hand on his heart. “Our group is very welcoming.”

“I don’t trust you not to overwhelm him with your endless gossiping.” 

“Gossip doesn’t hurt anybody, though, unlike something else.” Allison retorted. 

“I think he’s old enough to choose for himself,” interjected Renee. “And I’m pretty sure he already did.” 

She smiled sweetly at Neil, making his insides churn. He couldn’t quite put a finger on the reason, but the way she looked at him as if she could see right through him made him incredibly uncomfortable. And the fact that she’d immediately figured them out meant that she was either very observant or had some experience in dissecting people’s attitudes. Neil would have to ask Andrew later. 

“Can we go now?” Seth asked. 

Wymack nodded. He looked like he’d just aged ten more years and was reaching the limits of his patience for the day. “One more thing, Neil. Start thinking about what you want to major in.” 

“Alright.” 

“Good, now get out of here.” 

Aaron was the first to stand up and storm out of the room, followed by Nicky who first sent Neil an apologetic smile. 

He looked at Andrew, but the other only shook his head in response. They both exited the lounge with Kevin in tow. Outside of the building the sun had reached its maximum height, making Neil realize how hungry all that moving around had made him and that he couldn’t wait for Andrew to cook him something as promised. He turned towards him with a smirk, ready to tell him just that, when he was interrupted by someone coming up behind him. 

“Hey, Josten” it was Matthew. Neil wasn’t at all surprised of being approached by him, the backliner had been hovering around him all morning. He seemed to be the friendliest out of all the Foxes, a characteristic that Neil appreciated. “Do you want to have lunch with us?”

The striker blinked, looking up at him. He’d thought that it would take a while for them to try to befriend him. Was it a trap? “Me?”

“Of course!” Matt laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. “Who else? We want to get to know our new teammate. Unless Andrew says you can’t.” 

Neil turned to said man, who rolled his eyes. “You can go. I’m not your babysitter, do whatever you want.”

“Okay?” Only fifteen minutes prior he’d been very adamant to not let Neil out of his sight for more than ten seconds, so what had changed?

“I have to talk to my stupid brother anyway.” 

Ah, that’s what it was. “Are you going to be alright?”

“You know me. Can’t say the same for him.” 

“Don’t leave him in a ditch.”

“I would let you take care of it,” Andrew deadpanned, but Neil knew he was only joking. Matt didn’t seem to catch the humor, though, because he moved his weight from one foot to another and cracked a nervous laugh. “Cool. Let’s go, you can ride with me and Dan.” 

Neil sent another brief look at Andrew and then followed the older man to the car, where Danielle waved at him and motioned him to get in. 

“Hello!” she exclaimed rather enthusiastically as he took his seat behind the driver. “I finally get to talk to you without the nosey bunch around. I’m Dan, the captain, but I’m sure you already knew that.” 

Neil nodded. Like the rest of the team, he’d already researched her before coming to Palmetto. 

“I guess we didn’t start on the right foot, huh? I’m sorry if we seemed a bit overbearing.” 

“That’s another way of saying it,” Matt huffed a laugh at that. Dan scratched her nose at that. 

“Well, we wouldn’t be the Foxes if we were easy to deal with. But I hope you won’t feel out of place with us today.” 

“You two seem pretty friendly compared to the others,” Neil couldn’t help but comment. 

“I can see why you’d say that, the Monsters didn’t set the bar that high.” from the rearview mirror, Matt must have caught him making a face because a glint of amusement passed in his eyes. “Don’t worry, I’m not gonna say anything bad about Andrew, I don’t want you to punch me like Seth.” 

“Is he going to be a problem?”

Dan snorted. “Not if he wants to keep walking straight.” 

She immediately struck him as fierce, someone who wouldn’t let anyone step on her or her ideals, and understood why she was the captain. Neil decided he liked her. 

They soon arrived at a café. Neil couldn’t remember the last time he’d set foot in one of those, it had to have been with Andrew sometime before Mary’s death. He wasn’t used to all the chatter and noise that bounced off the walls of small places anymore. 

The rest of the upperclassmen were already gathered at a table at the back. Noticing Neil, Seth rolled his eyes, but someone must have told him not to cause trouble as he took to pretending he didn’t exist. 

A conversation started but Neil couldn’t focus on what they were saying. He kept feeling eyes on him, scrutinizing him, and whenever he lifted his gaze he found Renee smiling his way. It made him squirm in his seat and want to run. 

“Neil?” Matt called suddenly, making him jerk his head towards him. 

“What?”

“I asked if you want to come with us to watch a movie after this.” 

“Um…” he looked between them, their eyes fixed on him expectantly. “Maybe another time. I’m still a bit jet-lagged.” He lied. He just wanted to get away from Renee and check up on Andrew. 

“Oh, right. You said you came here from London. How is it there?” Allison inquired. It was the first time that she regarded him without sounding snarky. 

“I’m not sure. I’ve never visited the city.” That was true. He’d always been stuck inside Stuart’s property.

“That’s sad, I’ve always wanted to go. We should visit it together once.” 

Neil shrugged. He’d traveled so much out of necessity that he’d forgotten how to enjoy his surroundings. But maybe once he was completely free it wouldn’t be so bad to go on vacation somewhere. He’d bring Andrew, of course. 

“So you trained there?” Renee asked this time. “You’re pretty good for being self-taught.”

“I picked it up again when Andrew was traveling with me and my mother. He helped a bit.” 

Allison snapped her fingers. “Aha! That’s how you managed to score on him.” 

“That doesn’t necessarily mean anything, Al.”Renee explained calmly, with an amused smile. “We’ve known Andrew for two years but Seth still can’t score on him. Neil’s just that good.” 

“Are you done picking on me?” Seth stopped ignoring the conversation and snared in response. 

Dan raised her eyebrows. “Can you prove us wrong?”

The oldest man instantly closed his mouth, the words dying in his throat, and pressed his lips together into a thin line. It made Neil crack a smirk that didn’t go unnoticed by Seth, who asked: “How did you know Day?”

“I played with him briefly once.” he didn’t mention that his father had ruined that day by killing a man in front of them. “Riko too.”

“This is going to be an interesting year. Let’s all come out alive, alright?” Matt shot him a thumbs-up as he tried to lighten the mood, but Neil couldn’t share his sentiment. He truly hoped that everything would go smoothly and that no one would get hurt in the process.

“I wouldn’t mind if Riko got rid of one of the Monsters- Ouch!” Seth jolted in his seat and sent his girlfriend a glare as she kicked him in the shins. “What was that for?!”

“That’s not a nice thing to say.” 

“I didn’t mean they have to die! Besides, you want them gone too.” 

“As much as I despise them, we still need them in our team.” 

Neil tried to not let his anger show. He didn’t know Andrew’s family that well yet, but he knew how important they were to him. “What have they done for you to hate them so much?”

They all looked at each other, a strange tension settling in. It was Dan who was brave enough to answer him:

“Oh, Neil,” she sighed, watching him with what was probably pity, and he saw her hand caress Matt’s under the table. A shadow crossed the man’s eyes. “It’s a long story. One day we’ll tell you.” 

Neil pursed his lips but decided to accept that answer for now. He couldn't blame them for not trusting him, since he was close to one of the perpetrators. If he were in their place, he would have done the same.

“You seem to understand Andrew very well,” Renee said. 

“I know he’s very protective of what’s his.” 

She nodded. Out of everyone, she was the only one who still hadn’t voiced her dislike, which he could appreciate. Neil didn’t know why he felt a pang of… something. Was it jealousy? “You’re part of his family now, that extends to you too.” 

He hoped that wasn’t the case, for Andrew’s sake. They had made a deal, after all. 

Dan cleared her throat. “I know we’ve only just met and I don’t want to push this burden on you but… we seriously need the team to be cohesive if we want to win something in the upcoming season. And they won’t listen to me. If you could soften them up, maybe-”

“I don’t think they like me very much,” he countered.

“And I understand! It doesn’t have to be immediate, but you are familiar with Andrew and he trusts you, so you’re kind of a bridge between us and his lot, you know?” 

He wasn’t sure what she was talking about. They’d only met recently, he didn’t consider himself part of any group for the time being. But she did have a point on the team’s dynamic, so he nodded. “I’ll try.” 

Her face instantly lit up and she clapped her hands joyfully. “Thanks!” 

She then engaged in another weird conversation with the others and Neil soon spaced out again. That exchange had drained all his energy; he wasn’t used to socializing, nor being among a group this big. He really couldn’t wait to go home, in the comfort of Andrew's closeness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's be friends!  
> Follow me on twitter or tumblr: @Itshellfo

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think!


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